Swamped.  Hectic.  Tired.  This is how we describe ourselves much too often.  There are too many chores and activities that we dread.  Why are we so over-burdened? Once upon a time, I was given a Kodak Instamatic camera.  With my valued possession, I took 24 photos on a family vacation.  After getting them developed at the drug store, I chose the best and stuck them in my photo album, where my siblings and I enjoyed looking at them over and over.  Now I can take hundreds of photos with my phone every day if I want to.  But has my capacity to manag ..read more

In a noisy, complex world, minimalism is an appealing choice.  Even if you don't want to stick with shades of white, beige, and gray in your decorating (which isn't necessary for a minimalist home, but many people think it is), you may wish for more order and calm in your life.  Even if you don't want to wear all black (which isn't necessary to a minimalist wardrobe, but many people think it is), you may crave mindfulness and focus. Minimalism goes beyond a design aesthetic or decluttering.  It's a mindset that affects all areas of life. But while you can find many articles ..read more

Are you curious about minimalism and wondering if it would be a good lifestyle for you?  Lots of people are exploring the idea and talking about the benefits, and you'd like to know if it's something you should consider.  Fortunately, you've come to the right place.  I've designed a quiz that will help you decide.  Simply write down the first answer that comes to mind for each question. So grab a pen and paper and jot down yes or no as your response.  It will take only a few minutes to learn whether minimalism has anything valuable to offer you. The minimalis ..read more

What if you knew there was one tiny thing you could do to make yourself healthier, both physically and emotionally?  What if there was plenty of scientific evidence that this one-minute habit would have a giant positive impact on your life?  Would you want to do it? Guess what?  There is such a practice, and you can start doing it now.  There's nothing to buy, no app to download, and no class to take.  The behavior is gratitude, and it's simple and effective. Why do we need gratitude? Like every other living thing on our planet, our brains evolved with two ma ..read more

When I was growing up, both of my parents often said it was important to save money.  I know they put money into a savings account every month.  But they also withdrew money from savings whenever the checking account ran low, and my mom complained that it was "impossible" to keep money in savings. For many, many years, I followed the exact same pattern.  My savings account was just a place to stash money until something "came up."  It was "on hold" until then.  Yes, my husband and I could always pay our annual auto registration and car insurance.  We could pay f ..read more

My daughter's brother-in-law Vincent is a hard-working family man in his early 40's.  Last May, he was like all of us, with many plans for his future, specifically looking forward to a family get-together on Memorial Day and his son's high school graduation in June. And then an auto accident and spinal cord injury sidetracked everything.  At first it was a question of whether Vince would even survive the crash.  Then it became clear that he would live, but his injuries would leave him partially paralyzed.  Months of difficult physical therapy have followed. Today I saw ..read more

Taking an entire day or most of a weekend to completely clean and declutter your kitchen will leave you with a space that feels larger, brighter, and super-efficient.  But many of us don't have the time or energy to do such a big job all at once, and we need simpler strategies to get the lovely kitchens we deserve. There are ways to declutter under the radar, so to speak – ways that don't feel like drudgery.  Let's get clever and streamline this daily work space with just a bit of effort and a few minutes here and there. Strategies to cut kitchen clutter 1.  Clear off ..read more

There's something rewarding about freshening a room or making an item that's been ignored noticeable once again.  Parts of life can be a bit repetitious, and small changes can liven things up. You don't have to plan a shopping spree to redo your home.  For the most part, you can give yourself a new view with what you already own. A new view For many years, I was one of those people who can't pass up a HomeGoods, Hobby Lobby, or even the Target pillow or lamp aisles.  I regularly visited antique stores within a 50-mile radius.  I shopped at craft fairs and quilt sh ..read more

What is life as a minimalist really like?  I write all the time about the benefits of minimalism, and why less is more should be your mantra for life.  And everything I've said is true, but maybe it's my duty to point out a few of the negatives.  After all, there are downsides to almost everything.  It won't all be roses.  Minimalism is freedom.  It's clarity.  It's energy, time, and resources to spend on what you believe is important, rather than wasting your life trying to be the person with the most toys. But opinions about minimalists are often mistak ..read more

Want to change your life?  Minimalism can help.  A lot.  But you're the one who will do the work.  Don't get me wrong – minimalism can do amazing things for you.  It can help you get more control of the scattered pieces of your life.  It can help you find more time for what really matters, and more money for the things you really care about.  Minimalism can help you save your energy and focus for your most important goals. But this isn't a process that happens overnight.  Simply getting rid of your clutter won't make it happen.  Minimalism isn't ..read more